10/54. Chapter:
A slave or a manumitted slave can lead the Salat (prayer)
وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ يَؤُمُّهَا عَبْدُهَا ذَكْوَانُ مِنَ الْمُصْحَفِ. وَوَلَدِ الْبَغِيِّ وَالأَعْرَابِيِّ وَالْغُلاَمِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَحْتَلِمْ، لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَؤُمُّهُمْ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ».Aishah رضي الله عنها was led in the Salat (prayer) by her slave Dhakwan who used to recite from the Mushaf [the written Qur'an (not from memory)]. Can an illegitimate boy, a bedouin, or a boy who has not reached the age of puberty lead the Salat? (It is permissible according to) the statement of the Prophet ﷺ that the Imam should be a person who knows the Qur'an more than the others.
Sahih Bukhari : 693
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 693
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو التَّيَّاحِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا، وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ حَبَشِيٌّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ ".
Narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Listen and obey (your chief) even if an Ethiopian whose head is like a raisin were made your chief."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 693In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 88USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 11, Hadith 662
